BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3690

By: Middleton

County Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been noted that Commissioners Courts in Texas do not have the statutory authority to adopt a binding code of ethics for their members.

H.B. 3690 seeks to allow commissioners courts to operate under additional binding and legal ethical standards of their choosing.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 3690 amends the Local Government Code to add a section allowing the commissioners court of a county to adopt a code of ethics that provides standards of conduct for members of the commissioners court. The bill requires that the code of ethics must include a requirement of each commissioners court member to file a conflicts disclosure statement.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.